Means for handling articles



565 i2, 1957 D. D. GORDON Erm.

MEANS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 24, 1953- A TTORNE Y Feb. 12, 957 D, D. GORDON Erm. 2,78,139

MEANS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 24, -1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y Feb. i2, i957 D. D. GORDON E'rm..I 2,78139 MEANS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 24., 1955 s sheets-sheet s Fig. 0 g,

i? 00ML@ 60mm# 6mm @s A. wwf/AM INVENTORS i sf I BY F25/ A T TURNEY nited States Patent MEANS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES Donald D. Gordon and Charles A. Wortham, Dallas, Tex.

Application February 24, 1953, Serial No. 338,332

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-305) This invention relates to means for handling articles.

Bottles used for bottling beverages or the like are usually shipped from bottle manufacturing plants to the bottling plants in closed rectangular cardboard cartons or containers with shock absorbing material or separators inserted between the bottles. The opening of the cartons and the removal of the `bottles from the containers is a laborious time-consuming process, and it is desirable that a new method lof packaging and shipping the bottles and removing them from the containers be provided.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a new method of handling bottles which permits the bottles to be placed in upside down position in open topped containers for shipment therein without use of a shock absorbing material or separators between the bottles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of handling bottles in which the bottles are removed from an open topped container in which they are disposed in upside down position by inverting the container on a supportingsurface or platform and then lifting the container o the bottles.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for inverting open topped cartons without any jostling or dropping of the contents of the containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for inverting open topped cartons which receives containers moved down a roller conveyor and simultaneously raises and inverts the containers to deposit the contents of the container on a platform lying above the conveyor.

A still further object is to provide the inverting device with a means for removing the upper sides of containers which have been closed for shipment by rail, whereby the removal of the upper side or cover of the container is effected immediately prior to entering the inverting device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention Will readily be apparent from the reading of the following description of devices constructed in accordance with the invention, and referenceto the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the inverting device showing the inverter in one position;

Figure 2. Iis a side elevation of the inverting device showing the inverter in another position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing a conveyor provided with a reciprocating saw for removing the top sides of closed containers moving on the conveyer, the inverting device and an unloading platform which :receives the containers and conveys them to the saw and inverter;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the inverting device employed with the conveyer and saw of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the inverting device of Figure 5;

'ice

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the electric control system of the conveyer and saw of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of the inverting device wherein a pneumaticaliy operated mechanism is employed to move the inverter;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the sawing device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 10 is a front end elevation of another modified form of the inverting device;

Figure 1l is a side elevation of the inverting device shown in Figure l0; and

Figure 12 is a top plan View, with certain parts broken away, of the inverting device shown in Figure l0.

The new means of handling bottles or other articles comp-rises placing the bottles in upside down position in an open topped container or carton without placing any shock absorbing material or bottle separators, such as cardboard partitions, between the bottles. Since the open ends of the bottles face downward, dirt and dust cannot fall into the interior of the bottles. The containers lled with the bottles in this manner are then shipped, with the tops of the containers open, to the bottling plant where they are to be iilled. The bottles are then removed from the container by inverting the container by a suitable means, such as the inverter described below, so that the bottles stand on their bottoms, and by lifting the carton o the bottles. It will be seen that in this method of handling the bottles, the use of shock absorbing materials or bottle separators is eliminated, thus facilitating the filling of containers with bottles and saving the cost of such materials or separators; and that the use of less expensive open topped containers eiects a substantial saving.

Moreover, -it Will be seen that all the bottles may be very easily removed from the cartons in one operation by use of the open topped containers and the employ- -ment of the step of inverting the containers. In this connection, it will be evident that the lack of shock absorbing materials or separators facilitates the removal of the bottles from the containers since the shock absorbing material or separators tend to bind against the bottles and often times create waste which must be disposed of after the unpackaged step.

In certain cases, it may be necessary to ship the bottles in closed containers due to the regulations of the carriers, such as railroads. ln that event, one side of the container is saWed oli' before the inverting operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally an inverting device for inverting open topped containers, and which includes a base frame 11 and an inverter 12 pivotally mounted on the base frame. The base frame comprises four vertical corner legs 13, 14, 15 and 16. Each of the vertical corner legs is formed preferably of angle members and each is provided with a floor engaging shoe 17 mounted on a threaded stud 18 which is threaded in a suitable bore provided in a horizontal plate 19-1igidly secured to the bottoms of the legs by welding or in any other suitable manner. rihe studs 18 may be rotated to raise -or lower the shoes 17 so that the base `frame may be held by lock nuts 18a in proper vertical position regardless of irregularities in the level of the oor on which it is positioned.

The front corner legs 13 and 14 are joined together by horizontal cross members 20 and 21, the front and back cover legs 14 and 15 are joined together by horizontal longitudinal members 22 and 23, the back corner legs 15 and 16 are joined by horizontal cross members 215 and 25, and the back and front corner legs 16 and 13 are joined by horizontal longitudinal members 26 and 27. Vertical bracing members 28 may extend between each pair of horizontal members so that the base frame 11 is very rigid. K

A pair of parallel spacedV channel members 29 andV 39 are mounted on and rigidly secured to `the top horizontal cross members 2i and 25 and extend longitudinally therebetween. A plurality of longitudinally spaced rollers 3i have the end portions of their shafts secu-red to the channel members. The rollers 31 consti tute a conveyer and a support for cartons which are to be inverted and unloaded.

.The back corner legs and 16 of `the base frame 11 are of greater height than the front corner legs 13 and 14 and are connected by an upper cross member 32 disposed below the upper ends of the back corner legs. A pair of Vertical supports 33 and 34 vparallel to and spaced from the upper portions of .the back corner legs have their lower ends rigidly secured to the horizontal longitudinal members 23 and 27 and their upper ends connected by rearwardly extending arms to the upper ends of the baci` corner legs. The upper vcross member, being channel shaped, also connects ,the two vertical supports to one another.

A horizontal shaft 35 is mounted Yon' the vert-ical supports by means of the brackets 36 and 37. The inverter body 3S is pivotally mounted on the horizontal shaft by means of bearing blocks 39 and 4t) secured to the vertical back side flanges l4l and 42 of the inverter. Stop collars 42a on the shaft abut lthe bearing blocks to hold the inverter in proper position on the shaft. The inverter has `a top 43 and a pair of parallel sides 44 and 45 integral f.

with the top. The vertical back side anges 41 'and `4?..

may -be integral with the sides 44 and 45, respectively. The sides 44 and 45 are also provided a-t their lower .edges with opposed inwardly extending horizontal flanges 46 and 47, respectively, which are adapted to ybe disposed i a-t opposite ends of the rollers 3l and slightly below the upperV surfaces of the rollers. A handle 48 is secured Ito the side 44 of the inverter so that the inverter may be easily pivoted about the horizontal shaft by an operflanges are disposed slightly below the upper surfaces of the rollers 31. Art open topped container having a plurality of lbottles standing upside down in the container may then move oft a loading conveyer L, such .as that formed by the two rails'shown in .brokenlines in Figure l,

onto the rollers 31 and move on such rollers until it conftacts the back side anges 41 .and 42 of the inverter.

The inverter may then be pivoted upwardly .about ltheV shaft 35 as shown inpFigure 2, softbal the inwardly extending flanges 46 and l47 .are brouwt up ito the level of the upper surfaces of the bottom of the container and support the container as vthe upward pivotal movement of the inverter is continued. The back side anges 41 and 42 support the containers as the inverter is pivoted about 90 degrees to a verticalkposition. The bottles in the open topped container are prevented from jostling -or falling by the top .43 as the inverter is pivoted downwardly from its 90 degree vertical position. The cross member 32 is in the path of the ,downward movement of the top 43 so that the inverter :comes to rest in a horizon'tal position (Figure '2) after it has been pivoted Y through 180 degrees. Y

The bottoms of the bottles now rest on the top 43 of the inverter so that the operator can now move his hand between the back side flanges 41 and 42 and push the container out of the inverter onto la vplatform :standing adjacent Vthe rear corner legs sof the base frame at su'bstantially vthe same level as the top of the cross member 32. The container may then be Vlifted up oV the bottles which now stand upright on Itheir .bottoms of Ithe platform. 'The inverter is then pivoted back toits original position to receive the next container. This cycleof 4 operation is repeated each time a container is to be in.- verted. Y Y f Tt will now be seen that an inverter 38 has been provided which is substantially U-shaped in -cross-section and is provided with horizontal inwardly extending anges 46 and 47 Ean back side anges 41 and 42 which vsupport -a container as the inverter is pivoted about the horizontal shaft 35 through lli'l'degrees to invert an open top container holding Vbottles Ain an upside down position, and `cause the bottoms of the bottles finally to come Ito rest on the top 4310i the inverter so that Ythe bottle are left standing in'npright Vpositions when the container is pushed oft the top 43 onto a platform. Thus, all the bottles are removed from 'the container by this single operation, in a short time and with minimum handling and breakage. It will also be seen that the inwardly extending anges Y46 and 47 are so spaced from the top 43 that they lit veryclosely about the .container so that the bottles vare not jostled or allowed to fall through any distance as the 'inverter is pivoted, thus preventing breakage of the bottles. Y

ln Figures 3 and 4 is shown a system for handling .closed containers to remove the bottles therefrom which Yincludes a powered belt conveyor 45 which brings containers tothe conveyer of the base frame 11 formed by the rollers 31 of the inverter and la power saw unit 5i) mounted adjacent. the belt conveyer for removing the bottom side of closed containers, which are positioned in `an upside down position on the conveyor. The inverter may also be provided witha pneumatic power cylinder or motor 52 (Figure 3) yof any suitable type well known in 'the art which mechanically swings Ithe inverter from yone position'to the other and vice versa.

The belt conveyer 49 includes a frame 53 supporting a plurality of aligned transverse idlery rollers 54 .rotatably mounted on ithe frame. The Ybelt 49 is driven by an electric motor 56 mounted on the frame 53 and having driving pulley .57 rigidly secured to its drive shaft. The lbelt 49 extends .about the driving pulley, -a pair of direction changing and tightening rollers 5S and 59 and ti e idler rollers S4. Containers placed on `the belt will be Y moved inthe conventional manner along the conveyer toward the inverting -device when the belt driving motor 56 is in operation.

The power saw unit 5t) is mounted on the side of the Y conveyer frame 53 and includes an electric mot-or 6i! mounted on a platform 61 secured to the conveyer frame uprights by a bracket .612. A disc 63 is rigidly mounted on the drive shaft of the motor 60 and a link 64 is pivotally connected to theV disc at an oft-center point thereon and to the reciprocating blade holding member 65 .of the power saw so that A-a reciprocating movement is 'imparted to the-member `55 when the motor is in operation. .The vsaw blade 65 extends'over'the .conveyer at the proper height to cut off the upper side of containers being moved by the conveyor. The inclined Ysurface 57 of the blade supporting bar 68 serves to displace upwardly the sawed off top sides yof the containers Yso that they may be easily seized by anY operator for removal. The saw mounting means is not described in detail since such saws are of old and well-known construction.

lIn order to maintain the containers in proper position as they pass .the saw, `a -plurality of .upright rollers .69 are mounted on vthe conveyor frame 53 .on both sides of -the belt. A hold 4downxshoe 70 also mounted on the conveyor frame 53 ex-tends over the conveyor belt to prevent upward .displacement of `:the containers as they Y approach .the saw.

The conveyor belt :motor SPSSV and Ithe saw motor 69 are yconnected 5to any .suitable electric vsupply circuit through a pair of serially'connected switches 7i. and V72.

Y r1`he switch .7l Yis Vnormally `in closed .position and is mounted on the lcross member 32 .so that lits operating plunger 73 projects Vinwardly between .the :back side flanges 41 and 42 when the inverter rests on the channel.

members 29 and 30. It is opened by a container Ywhich moves ol the belt'conveyer onto the rollers 31 and contacts the back side anges of the inverter.

The switch 72 is a normally open switch and is mounted `on the channel member 29 on the base frame 11 of the inverting device and is closed when the ange 46 of the inverter contacts and depresses its operating plunger 74 as the inverter moves to its container receiving position.

It will now be seen that the conveyer and saw motors operate only when the inverter is empty and in its container receiving position. Assuming now that the inverter is empty and is being pivoted back to its container receiving position. The switch 71 is closed but the switch 72 is open so that the motors are inoperative. As the inwardly extending flanges 46 and 47 of the inverter come to rest on the channel members 29 and 30, the channel member 46 depresses the operating plunger 74 of the switch 72 and that switch is closed. Both switches are now in closed positions so that the motors are connected across the source of electric power. The motors now run to drive the conveyer belt 49 and the saw blade 66. The conveyer belt carries containers placed on it toward the inverting device while the saw operates to cut oft the upper side of the container moving past it.

The motors continue to operate until a container is pushed oif the conveyer belt onto the rollers 31 of the inverting device and over the rollers 31 until it contacts the back side flanges 41 and 42 of the inverter. As the container contacts the anges 41 and 42, it also contacts and actuates the operating plunger 73 of the switch 71 and the switch 71 is opened. Both the saw and conveyer belt motors now stop. When the inverter is pivoted upwardly, the operating plunger 73 is freed to move outwardly and the `switch 71 moves back to closed position but at the same time, the operating plunger 74 is freed to move upwardly and the switch 72 moves to open position. As a result, both motors remain inoperative until the inverter is pivoted to its unloading position, and then back to its receiving or loading position. When it is moved back to its receiving position, the switch 72 will again be closed, and both motors will operate until another container is moved into the inverter by the belt conveyer. The switches in this manner control the operation of the belt conveyer and of the saw, to prevent containers from being moved onto the rollers 31 when the inverter is not in receiving or loading position, and also when the inverter is already loaded.

The containers will ordinarily be spaced on the conveyer belt so that the inverter will not contact the next container on the belt as it is pivoted upwardly or downwardly.

yThe inverter 38 may be pneumatically operated by means of a gear 75 (Figure 8) mounted on the shaft 35 which meshes with a vertically disposed rack 76 which is slidably mounted between two vertical guides 77 and 78 rigidly secured to the base frame 11. -A pneumatic drive unit 79 is rigidly mounted on the base frame 11 beneath the gear rack and includes the motor 52 having the usual piston (not shown) whose piston rod 80 is secured to the lower extension of the rack gear.

The pneumatic drive unit is provided with the usual control valve 32 mounted on the back corner leg 15 of the base frame within easy reach of the operator. The control valve connects the drive unit to a source of fluid under pressure in the usual manner. The pneumatic drive unit can be controlled by the valve 82 to selectively move the rack either upwardly or downwardly in a conventional manner.

It will be seen now that when the control valve is operated to cause the rack gear 76 to be moved downwardly, the gear 75 and the shaft 35 are rotated in one direction to cause the inverter 38, which is rigidly secured to the shaft in any suitable manner, to pivot from its loading position to its unloading position. When the control valve is operated to cause the gear rack to move upwardly, the gear 75 and the shaft 35 are rotated in the opposite direction to cause the inverter to pivot from its unloading position back to its loading position. The operator, of course, pushes the inverted containers out of the inverter and onto the platform and then lifts the containers off the bottles.

While the system described has been provided with a saw unit to remove the upper sides of closed containers, it will be obvious, of course, that the belt conveyer may also be used to move open topped containers to the inverting device 10. The saw unit 50 may be detachably mounted on the conveyer frame so that it can be removed when open topped containers are being handled. A switch 83 may be connected in series with the saw motor 60 to disconnect it whenever the saw is not being used. The switches 71 and 72 will, of course, operate to control the conveyer motor in the manner previously described.

A band saw 84 (Figure 9) may be used in place of the reciprocating saw 66 if desired. The band saw may extend around the conveyer 49 and about a driving pulley 86 and an idler pulley 87 both mounted on the frame 53. The driving pulley may be driven by a motor 88.

The inverter 38 may also be mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis which passes through the central portions of the sides 44 and 45, as is shown in Figures 10, ll and 12. In this modified form, the inverter is mounted for movement on a pair of aligned stub shafts 89 and 90 rigidly secured to the sides 44 and 45 by the blocks 91 and 92,`respectively. The shafts 89 and 90 are rotatably supported in pillow blocks 93 and 94, respectively, mounted on the standards and 96 of the frame 97.

The frame 97 includes corner posts 98 which are connected by upper reinforcing angle members 99. A conveyer 100 is supported on the frame 95 and includes a pair of parallel angle members 101 and 102 which rotatably support a plurality of rollers 103. Since the lower rear corners of the inverter will move in a p ath which extends downwardly past the rollers when the inverter is rotated about the shafts 89 and 90, the conveyer is pivoted at its forward end to the frame by means of bolts 104 which extend through registering apertures in the dependent lugs 10411 at the forward ends of the angle members'101 and 102 and in the brackets 105 rigidly secured to the front upper reinforcing angle member 99 by welding or'in any other suitable manner.

The conveyer 100 is supported by a pair of links 106 and 107 whose upper ends are pivotally connected to the sides 44 and 45 of the conveyer as at 108 and 109, respectively. The links 106 and 107 are provided with elongate slots 110 in which are received the outwardly extending ends of a rod 111 on the conveyer 100. The rod 111 extends through suitable aligned apertures in the angle members 101 and 102 of the conveyer so that the weight of the conveyer is supported by the lower bight portions 112 of the links.

The lower bight portions 112 of the links are provided with threaded bores which receive the adjusting bolts 113 provided with lock nuts 114. The inner ends of the bolts are adapted to engage the ends of the rod 111 and thus vary the position of the rod 111 from the bight portions 112. Adjustment of the bolts by rotation thereof will obviously vary the position of the conveyer with respect to the inverter since the position of the ends of the rod 111 in the slots 10S of the links is determined by the bolts.

In use, the links 106 and 107 hold the conveyer 100 in the horizontal container supporting position shown in Figures 11 and 12. When the inverter is rotated clockwise by means of its handle 113, the links 106 and 107 move Vless power is required to operate Vthe inverter.

neem-a9 downwardly thus permitting the conveyer 100 `to tmove downwardly in a clockwise direction about the bolts 104 until the conveyer 100 moves out of the -path of movement of the lower Vrear corners of the inverter. Further clockwise movement of Ythe conveyer is limited bythe Contact of the lugs 104a with the front angle member 99 of the 'frame 97.

The clockwise rotation of the Vinverter may vbe continued, however, until the inverter v has rotated 180 degrees, since the ends of the rod ill will slide in the slots 116 of the links (as shown in broken lines in Figure ll),

as the links swing Vabout their'pivot points 168 and 109.

When the inverter is rotated in the opposite direction back tothe position shown in 'Figure lO, the conveyer will be lifted back to lits horizontal position after the links 106 and 107 are Amoved through a distance suiiiciently great to cause the bolts 113 to engage the ends of the rod 11i. It will be evident that the links 106 and 1tl7 and the rod Llhave a Ylost motion connection which permits movement of the inverter when the motion ofV the conveyer is stopped bythe frame.

It will beseen that the inverter may be pivoted about the central horizontal axis of the conveyer 168, sol that The conveyer is also movably mounted and connected to the inverter for movement with and away froni the conveyer to permit the corners of the inverter to move past the conveyer without engaging it. The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of thc invention.

We claim:

l. An inverting device comprising: a base frame; a support disposed vin a substantially horizontal plane mounted on said base frame; and a carton inverter; said inverter including a planar imperforate top; a pair of sides extending perpendicularly from said top; flanges extending inwardly toward each other from said sides and rigidly held parallel to and spaced from said top, said flanges being disposable on opposite sides and slightly below the upper portions of said support; said inverter having an Vopen front carton loading and unloading end; Vback side flanges positioned .at corners of said inverter partly closing the rear end of said inverter; and .means secured to said inverter at rsaid rear end for mounting said inverter .on said base frame for pivotal movement about aY horizontal faxis, said inverter being movable reciprocably through 4an arc o f substantially .180 'degrees from a loading position where said inwardly extendingV ilanges are disposed on opposite sides of said support with said top disposed substantiallyparallel to and above said support to an unloading position wherein vsaid inwardly extending Vlianges are disposed above said top, whereby an operator may press his hand against the rear wall of a carton to push the same out of the inverter along the top thereof, which forms the bottom when the carton is inverted, the way Vbeing open between the back side flanges whereby the carton may be pushed to lbe discharged from ythe inverter simply by pressing the hand against the rear side -wall of the carton.

2. An inverting device comprising: a base trarne; a support disposed in Va substantially horizontal plane mounted on said base frame; and an inverter, lsaid inverter including a top, a pair .of sides extending perpendicularly from said top, means extending inwardly from said sides and parallel to and spaced from said top, said means being disposable on Vopposite sides of and slightly below the upper portions of said support; said inverter having an open Acontainer loading and unloading front end; means partly closing the rear end of said inverter; and means secured to said inverter at .said rear end of said inverter for mountingsaid inverter on s aid 'ibase frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis,

means operable by said conveyer and a container dis-V posed on said support and -in said inverter for connecting said driving means to a source of electric current when said inverter is ernpty and in loading Vposition and for Vdisconnecting said driving means from said source when said inverter is loaded and also vwhen it is not in loading position.

3. An inverting device comprising: a base frame; a

support disposed in a substantially horizontal plane mounted on said base frame; and an inverter, said inverter including a top, a pair of sides extending perpendicularly from said top, flanges extending inwardly toward each other from said sides and parallel to and spaced from said top, said anges being disposable on opposite sides and slightl;l below the upper portions of said support; said inverter having an open iront container loading `and unloading end; -and means partly closing the rear end of said inverter, .means secured to said inverter at said rear end for mounting said inverter on said base frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; said inverter being movable .substantially 180 degrees from a loading position where `said flanges are disposed on opposite sides of said support with said top disposed substantially parallel to and above Vsaid support to an unloading position wherein said inwardly extending means are disposed above said top; a conveyer for delivering containers to said support; a cutting means disposed above said conveyer forremoving ythe Ytop sides of containers disposed on said conveyer and moving toward said support; electrically energized means for driving said conveyer and said cutting means; and switch means operable by said conveyer and a container disposed on said support and in said Vinverter for connecting said driving means to a source ol electric-current when said inverter is empty and in loading position and for disconnecting said driving means from said vsource when saidinverter is loaded and also when it is not in loading position.

4. An inverting device comprising: a base frame; a plurality of horizontally aligned rollers mounted on said base frame and being rotatable about spaced horizontal axes; an inverter, said inverter having a top, a pair ot' parallel sides extending perpendicularly from vsaid top, means extending inwardly from said sides and parallel toandspaced from said top, said means being disposable on opposite sides of said rollers and slightly below the upper surfaces thereof when `said inverter is in'loading position, .said inverter having an open container loading and unloading front end, and means partly closing the rear end of said inverter, said inverter being secured to vsaid Vbase frameat said rear end of said inverter for pivotal -nioveinent .abeuta horizontal axis parallel to said horizontal axes; said inverter being pivotable through substantially 178.0 Vdegrees from said loading position wherein lsaid `inwardly extending means are disposed on opposite .sides of said rollers with said vrtop disposed substantially parallel to and spaced above said rollers to an unloading position Vwherein said inwardly .extending means are dis-V ist said inverter for connecting said driving means to a source of electric current when said inverter is empty and in loading position and for disconnecting said driving means from said source when said inverter is loaded and also when it is not in loading position.

5. An inverting device comprising: a base frame having a pair of front corner legs and a pair of back corner legs, horizontal connecting members connecting said legs to form the base frame, said back corner legs being of greater height than said front corner legs, a pair of horizontal parallel longitudinal members extending between one of said connecting members which connects said front legs and one of said connecting members which connects said back legs, said longitudinal members being spaced inwardly of said front corner legs and of said back corner legs, and a container support mounted on said longitudinal members and extending backwardly toward said corner legs; an inverter; means for pivotally securing said inverter to said back corner legs adjacent the upper ends thereof for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis perpendicular to said longitudinal members spaced above said support and disposed between said front and back corner legs; a conveyer for delivering containers to said support; a cutting means disposed above said conveyer for removing the top sides of containers disposed on said conveyer and moving toward said support; electrically energized means for driving said conveyer and said cutting means; and switch means operable by said conveyer and a container disposed on said support and in said inverter for connecting said driving means to a source of electric current when said inverter is empty and in loading position and for disconnecting said driving means from said source when said inverter is loaded and also when it is not in loading position.

6. An inverting device comprising; a base frame ha ing a pair of front corner legs and a pair o back corner legs, horizontal connecting members connecting said legs to form the base frame, said back corner legs being of greater Iheight than said front corner legs, a pair of horizontal parallel longitudinal members extending between one of said connecting members which connects said front legs and one of said connecting members which connects said back legs, said longitudinal members being spaced inwardly of said front corner legs and of said back corner' legs, and a plurality of horizontal rollers mounted on and between said longitudinal members for rotation about spaced horizontal axes disposed between said front and back corner legs; and inverter; means for pivotally securing said inverter to said back corner legs adjacent the upper ends thereof for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis parallel to and spaced above said horizontal axes and disposed between said front and back corner legs; a conveyer for delivering containers to said support; a cutting means disposed above said conveyer for removing the top sides of containers disposed on said conveyer and moving toward said support; electrically energized means for driving said conveyer and said cutting means; and switch means operable by said conveyer and a container disposed on said support and in said inverter for connecting said driving means to a source of electric current when said inverter is empty and in loading position and for disconnecting said driving means from said source when said inverter is loaded and also when it is not in loading position.

7. An inverting device comprising: a base frame; a support mounted on said base frame for movement about a horizontal axis and movable to a horizontal position; an inverter; said inverter including a top, a pair of sides extending perpendicularly from said top, means extending inwardly from said sides and parallel to and spaced from said top, said means being positionable on opposite sides of and slightly below the upper portions of said support, said inverter having an open container loading and unloading front end, means partly closing the rear end of said inverter; means secured to said inverter for mounting said inverter on said base trarne for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said inverter being movable substantially degrees from a loading position wherein said inwardly extending means are disposed on opposite sides of said support when said support is in said horizontal position with said top disposed substantially parallel to and above said support to an unloading position wherein said inwardly extending means are disposed above said top; and means connecting said inverter to said support for pivoting said support downwardly from said horizontal position and away from said inverter as said inverter is moved from said loading position to said unloading position and for pivoting said support upwardly to said horizontal position and toward said inverter as said inverter is moved from said unloading position to said loading position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,907,458 Stevenson May 9, 1933 2,002,419 Stogsdill May 21, 1935 2,171,386 Barger Aug. 29, 1939 2,226,068 Mosley et al Dec. 24, 1940 2,321,300 Keagy June 8, 1943 2,323,852 Seidel et al. July 6, 1943 2,365,007 Rideout et al Dec. 12, 1944 

